Time service system



Aug. 16, 1932 TRQGNER 1,871,636

TIME SERVICE SYSTEM Filed May 28', 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I :l. E- l 1''" POWER F PACK 20 DU. AND t A. F. AME FILTER WIRED RADIO TRANS. l|\

| MASTER 24 I CLOCK) l i Q POWER GENERATOQS INVENTOR ATTORNEY TIME SERVICE SYSTEM Filed May 28, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ELLE-E INVENTOR Arthur M. TI'ngnEI' Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR m. 'rnoelvnn, or MAPLEWOOD, NEW annsnxnssrenon 'ro wmnn RADIO, INC on NEW YORK, 11. Y., A CORPORATION or DELAWARE TIME SERVICE SYSTEM Application filed May 28,

tion.

One of the objects of my invention consists in providing a time service system in which an electrical clock and a radio receiver operate under control of a central station.

Another object consists in providing a time service system in which an electricalclock is provided with radio receiving apparatus foraudibly reproducing time signals transmitted from a central station.

Another object comprises providing a time service system inwliich means are provided at a central station for simultaneously transmitting commercial power at a constant frequency and carrier frequency energy over,

common wire lines for operating a subscribers electrical time keeping apparatus.

A still further object consists in providing a time service system in which a subscribers electrical clock automatically controls the operation of a radio receiving'organization for reproducing audible time effects transmitted by carrier frequency energy over power lines.

"I accomplish the above desirable objects in a novel time service system in WhlCh a central station controls the operation of a subscribers electrically driven clock and radio receiving organization. In the drawings which accompany and form part of thisspecification and in which like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of the time service system of my invention; and

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the construction of the subscribers time-keeping apparatus. employed in the system of Fig. 1.

My invention contemplates providing a time service system in which a subscribers electrically driven clock, operated by commercial alternating current, cooperates with a radio receiver for furnishing time service under control of a central station. According to my invention I provide a construction of clock along the style known as the Grand- 1931. Serial No. 540,638.

father clock and having radio receiving apparatus therein for reproducing chinfes at different parts of the hour as transmitted from a central station. Fig. 2 of the drawings illustrates this type of construction. The housing 1 includes a clock 2 which is of the electrically driven type having a synchronous motor adapted to keep in step with commercial alternating current of,constant frequency. The housing 1 also includes a. loud-speaker 3 which may be concealed behind grill work or other ornamentation. Radio receiving apparatus is mounted behind the front panel of the housing 1. A

cable 5 is provided from the housing 1 to a service outlet 6 for supplying operating energy to the clock and associated radio organization.

Referring to Fig. 1, the synchronous motor 4, which drives the hands of the clock 2, is connected through the cable 5 and service outlet 6 to the commercial power lines 7 The minute hand 8 of the clock 2 is adapted to engage with contacts 9, 10, 11, and'12 positioned at 15-minute intervals about the path of travel of the minute hand. Connections are provided fromthe contracts 9, 10,'11,'and 12 to an electromagnet'13. Other connections are provided from the power lines 7 to the minute hand 8 and to the electromagnet 13 as shown. The electromagnet 13 is positioned proximate to the contacting armature 14 which engages with contact terminal 15 tocomplete a circuit to a power pack 16. A tension spring 17 normally holds the contacting armature 14 out of engagement with the contact terminal 15. The power pack 16 is of a conventional'type used in-radio receiving or ganizations and includes a suitable transformer and rectifier for producing suitable voltages for the operation of a detector and audio frequency amplifier 18. The detector and audio frequency amplifier 18 derives controlling or signaling energy through a carrier frequency filter network 19 capacitively coupled to the cable 5 and thence to power lines 7 The output of the detector and audio frequency amplifier 18 is directed to a translating devicesuch as loud speaker 20. When the contacting armature 14 is in engagement with the contacting terminal 15 the power pack 16 is energized from the power lines 7 whereby the detector and audio frequency amplifier 18 operates to receive carrier frequency signals from power lines 7.

The power lines 7 connect to a central station 23 which includes centrally located commercial power generation apparatus,time controlling apparatus, and wired radio transmitting means. The power lines 7 connect to power generators 24. The power generators 24 produce alternating current which is controlled as to frequency, in a well known manner, by a master clock 25 whereby the commercial alternating current can be used for time-keeping purposes.

According to my invention, a wired radio transmitter 26 is capacitively coupled to the power lines 7 for impressing carrier frequency energy thereon. A transmitter 26 includes a suitable oscillator, amplifier, and filter arrangement for producing carrier energy at a desired frequency. A microphone 27 is provided proximate to an electrically driven clock 28 driven by the synchronous I motor 31 operated from the power lines 7 in synchronism with the master clock 25. The clock 28 is provided with electrically driven mechanical means for producing chimes at certain parts of the hour, preferably at each quarter of the hour. Such chimes are a usual feature of the so-called Grandfather clock and include a plurality of vibratable members 29 for producing different tones under control of clappers operated by the clock mechanism. Chime movementsof this type, when of good quality, are necessarily expensive. It is a feature of my invention that all of the advantages of a clock having such a chime movement are furnished to subscribers.

The minute hand 30 of the clock 28 is adapted to engage with contacts 32, 33, 34, and 35 which are positioned at approximately fifteen-minute intervals about the path of travel. of the minute hand 30. Connections are provided from the minutehand 30 and 1 the contacts 32, 33, 34, and 35 to the wired radio transmitter 26 -for energizing a relay contained therein which controls the operat1on of the wired radio transmitter. Such relays for stopping and starting the opera- I tion of a radio transmitter are well known in 35, respectively, in the clock 28. That is, the V i will be on the hour.

the chimes Wlll be shortest, and will increase in duration for every quarter of the hour until the longest duration of chimes which The contacts with which the minute hands 8 and 30 engage are of corresponding lengths so that both the wired radio transmitter 26 and the detector and audio frequency amplifier 18 are rendered operative for the proper time periods.

In'the operation of my time service system, the power generators 24 develop commercial alternating current stabilized as to frequency by the master clock 25. The clocks 2 and 28 operate in synchronism from the power lines 7. When the minute hand of the subscribers clock 2 approaches a quarter hour indication, the electromagnet 13 causes the contacting armature 14 to engage with terminal 15 thereby completing a circuit to the power pack 16. The detector and audio frequency amplifier 18 is thereby energized for reception of carrier frequency en ergy. Simultaneously, the completion of a ircuit through one of the contacts associated with the minute hand 30 energizes the control relay of the wired radio transmitter 26' to initiate operation for carrier frequency transmission over the power lines 7. At the precise moment when the minute hands 30 and 8 indicate the quarter hour, the vibratable elements 29 are operated to produce chime effects which are picked up by the microphone 27 and transmitted over the power lines 7 to the detector and audio frequency amplifier 18 by carrier frequency energy. The loud speaker 20 reproduces these chime effects in the vicinity of the clock 2 and in association with the time idications thereof.

To all appearances, the chimes are produced by usual mechanism under control of the clock, whereas, in reality, the chimes are actually produced at the central station 23.

In the practice of my invention it is intended that the time-keeping units such as depicted in Fig. 2 will be provided in a multiplicity of consumers dwellings for operation .under control of the apparatus provided at the central station. Each subscriber will, therefore, enjoy the advantages of acurate and automatically operated time service from a unitary structure having the'semblance of a Grandfather clock. Although I have shown a preferred embodiment of my system,

it will, of course, be understood that changes can be made therein Without departing from the intended scope of my invent-ion. ll do not therefore desire to. limit myself to the foregoing except insofar as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and original and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 1. A time service system comprising, means for producing commercial alternating current, Wire lines for conveying said alternating current, a regulator for controlling the frequency of said alternating current, an electrically driven clock connected to said power lines for producing horological sound effects, a microphone in the vicinity of said clock for picking up said sound effects, a radio transmitting organization for transmitting said sound efiects by carrier frequency energy over said wire lines, means controlled by said clock for rendering said radio transmitting organization operative at predetermined times, another electri'cally driven clock connected to said Wire lines at a point removed from said source of horological sound effects, means responsive to carrier frequency energy connected to said Wire lines for reproducing said horological sound effects in the vicinity of said second electrically driven clock, and means under control of said second clock for rendering said last mentioned means operative at predetermined times.

2. A. time service system comprising, means for producing commercial alternating current, Wire lines for conveying said alternating current, an electrically driven clock ,connected to said Wire lines, means for producing acoustical effects, a radio transmitter for transmitting said acoustical efiects over 4 said Wire lines by carrier frequency energy, a second electrically driven clock connected to said Wire lines at a point removed from the vicinity Where said acoustical effects are produced, a radio receiver connected to said Wire lines and responsive to said carrier frequency energy for reproducing said sound effects in the vicinity of said second men- 7 tioned clock, means under control of said first mentioned clock for rendering said radio transmitter operative at predetermined times,

and means under control of said second mentioned clock for rendering said radio receiver operative at predetermied times.

3. A time service system comprising, means for producing an alternating current, transmission means'for conveying said current, a regulator for controlling the frequency of said current, an electrically drivenclock opera atively associated with said transmission means for producing horological sound effects, a microphone in the vicinity of said clock for picking up said. sound effects, a radio transmitting organization operatively associated with said microphone for transmitting said sound effects by carrier frequency energy over said transmission means, means controlled by said clock for rendering said radio transmitting organization operative at predetermined times, another electrically driven clock operatively associated with said transmission means at a point removed from said source of horological sound efi'ects, means responsive to carrier frequency energy operatively associated With said transmission means for reproducing said horological sound effects in the vicinity of said second electrically driven clock and. means under control of said second clock for rendering said last mentioned meansopcrative at predetermined times.

4. A ti me service system comprising, means for producing an alternating current, transmission means for conveying said current, an electrically driven clock operatively associated With said trasmission means, means for producing acoustical effects, a radio transmitter for transmitting said acoustical effects over said transmission means by carrier frequency energy, a second electrically driven clock operatively associated With said transmission means at a point removed from the vicinity Where said acoustical effects are produced, a radio receiver operatively associated With said transmission means and responsive to said carrier frequency energy for reproducingsaid sound effects in the vicinity of said second mentioned clock, means under control ofsaid firstmentioned clockforrenderingsaid radio transmitter operative at predetermined times, and means under control of said second mentioned clock for rendering said radio receiver operative at predetermined times.

ARTHUR M. TROGNER. 

